Costa Rica Won UN Security Council Seat
Tomas A. Granados
United Nations, Oct 16 (Prensa Latina) Dominican Republic withdrew its bid for a seat in the United Nations Security Council, paving the way for Costa Rica to occupy the post, declaring it was in defense of the unity and solidarity of Latin America and the Caribbean.

"The Unity of Latin America and the Caribbean is first of all and more than ever in a world riddled with difficulties", acting Dominican ambassador Enriquillo A. del Rosario Ceballos expressed when speaking at the plenary of the General Assembly.

The struggle between the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica for a rotating seat at the UN Security Council turned out in favor of the Central American country from the beginning, although neither of them obtained the endorsement required in the first round of voting.

According to the count of voting papers, Costa Rica obtained 116 votes to Dominican Republic"s 72 in the first round, though needed votes are 126 -- two thirds of the General Assembly of the UN -- to take the rotating seat in the powerful organism.
In a second round of voting, Costa Rica was backed up by 119 States and Dominican Republic by 70.

"We Dominicans want to give the world an expression of Latin American solidarity", ambassador Rosario Ceballos declared in the middle of prolonged applauses of the 192 States members of the Assembly.

During final voting, Costa Rica was elected with 179 votes in favor to occupy for two years from January 1st, 2008 the rotating seat at UN Security Council by the region of Latin America and Caribbean that Peru will leave unoccupied.

This will be the third time that Central American State occupies for two years a rotating seat at UN Security Council, first one was in 1974-1975 and 1997-1998 period.
According to the regulation for these elections, the candidates to occupy a rotating seat at UN Security Council must be back up by the two thirds of the 192 members of UN General Assembly.
Source: http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B1B77E6CF-E8AF-484E-AC29-357976715D08%7D)&language=EN

Costa Rica president celebrates country's UN Security Council seat
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/17/content_6895231.htm

SAN JOSE, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Tuesday publicly celebrated the country being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
 "Little Costa Rica continues harvesting triumphs at international level and this should fill us with joy," Arias said.
    He described the designation as a recognition of many generations of Costa Ricans who had left their mark in the building of the nation.
    Costa Rica is pushing measures that would limit the acquisition of arms, said Arias, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
    It is also promoting the At Peace With Nature initiative, which aims to make the country carbon neutral.
    Costa Rica gained the seat as the Dominican Republic withdrew its candidacy after two rounds of voting, and will serve on the council from 2008 to 2009.

About the Council (source: http://www.un.org/sc/members.asp)
The Presidency of the Security Council is held in turn by the members of the Security Council in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each President holds office for one calendar month.
Ten non-permament members, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms and not eligible for immediate re-election. The number of non-permanent members was increased from six to ten by an amendment of the Charter which came into force in 1965.
Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of "great Power unanimity", often referred to as the "veto" power.
Under the Charter, all Members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions which Member States are obligated under the Charter to carry out.